Lesson Plan Diane Clift Grade 8 Earth Science. Laurie Simanski Grade 8 Mathematics Janet Laffey Grade 8 Learning Support
Course: Earth Science
Unit: Are you Average?
Timeline: Approximately 2 Weeks
Lesson Goal(s): Students will be completing a survey by using Google Docs. The on-line survey will be posted on **www.cliftblog.blogspot.com** for boys and **www.mrssimanksi.blogspot.com** for girls. Students will answer statistical questions dealing with physical characteristics, interests and school related topics. Once each student has a chance to complete the survey, they will be given a spreadsheet of the data which is produced by Google docs.Students will then have to analyze the data from their peers to determine whether they are “average” or not. They will learn about various types of data displays and the importance and use of these displays in Science. They will then analyze their collected data through data tables, bar graphs, histograms, pie graphs, line graphs, stem and leaf plots, scatter plots, and box and whisker plots. Students will compare data by using measures of central tendency (mean, media, mode) and measures of spread (range, and percentiles). They will draw conclusions based on the information from their sample to determine population data and to determine their level of “averageness”.
GSE/Content Standards: Science: Unifying Themes of Science: Science Inquiry: Collect Data, Represent analyze, & interpret data, use evidence to draw conclusions
Math: Math Standards DSP 8-1,8-2,8-3, 8-6.
Technology Standards: Teachers will Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments, and Model Digital-Age Work and Learning. NETS Standards: NETS FOR STUDENTS 2007: #2 Communication and Collaboration; #3 Research and Information Fluency; #4 Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making; and #6 Technology Operations and Concepts.
Council for Exceptional Children Standards: #2 Development and Characteristics of Learners; #3 Individual Learning Differences; and #4 Instructional Strategies.
Materials: Google Docs, Google Docs Spreadsheets, Internet, Excel,, computers, Samples and Populations Connected Math Text, Practice Sheets from text as well as other resources
Instructional Procedures: Opening: Students will be shown the Are You Average? wiki: http://areyouaverage.wikispaces.com/ , specifically the elements page.They will then take part in a discussion of what it means to be an “average” teen. Have students brainstorm a list of characteristics that they will use in their survey of their peers. The list could include: age, height, weight, number of people in household, hair and eye color, right or left handedness, etc. The Google docs form will be created from the students’ questions.
Engagement (may be multiple days): Students will be given class time to complete the survey. Once data has been collected, results will be tabulated and analyzed. Students will create one each of the following: pie graph, bar graph, line graph, box and whisker, stem and leaf, histogram, scatter plot and mean, median and mode for each characteristic. Students will learn how to create these graphs using Microsoft EXCEL, as well as how to access web sites that allow them to create graphs that can not be made on Excel.
Closure: Students will draw conclusions about their “averageness” based on their data.
Assessment: Formative/Summative: Students will complete a lab report that must include one each of the types of data displays that were examined throughout the investigation.
Diane Clift Grade 8 Earth Science.
Laurie Simanski Grade 8 Mathematics
Janet Laffey Grade 8 Learning Support
Science: Unifying Themes of Science: Science Inquiry: Collect Data, Represent analyze, & interpret data, use evidence to draw conclusions
Math: Math Standards DSP 8-1,8-2,8-3, 8-6.
Technology Standards: Teachers will Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments, and Model Digital-Age Work and Learning.
NETS Standards: NETS FOR STUDENTS 2007: #2 Communication and Collaboration; #3 Research and Information Fluency; #4 Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making; and #6 Technology Operations and Concepts.
Council for Exceptional Children Standards: #2 Development and Characteristics of Learners; #3 Individual Learning Differences; and #4 Instructional Strategies.
Opening: Students will be shown the Are You Average? wiki: http://areyouaverage.wikispaces.com/ , specifically the elements page. They will then take part in a discussion of what it means to be an “average” teen. Have students brainstorm a list of characteristics that they will use in their survey of their peers. The list could include: age, height, weight, number of people in household, hair and eye color, right or left handedness, etc. The Google docs form will be created from the students’ questions.
Engagement (may be multiple days): Students will be given class time to complete the survey. Once data has been collected, results will be tabulated and analyzed. Students will create one each of the following: pie graph, bar graph, line graph, box and whisker, stem and leaf, histogram, scatter plot and mean, median and mode for each characteristic. Students will learn how to create these graphs using Microsoft EXCEL, as well as how to access web sites that allow them to create graphs that can not be made on Excel.
Closure: Students will draw conclusions about their “averageness” based on their data.